Poverty and the Development of African American Children: Testing an Adaptation of McLoyd's Theoretical Model with the NLSY

Based on McLoyd's (1990) model of African American children's development, this study examined the linkages between poverty, maternal psychological distress, marital conflict, the home environment, and children's outcomes among a sample of 805 African American 4- to 9-year-olds whose families were interviewed in 1992 as part of the National Longitudinal. Survey of Youth. Findings revealed that poverty, psychological distress (as measured by maternal depression and low mastery), and a relatively unsupportive home environment increased the risk of child behavior problems. Contrary to expectations, the path between marital conflict and child behavior problems was not significant in this sample. An adaptation of McLoyd's model examined predictors of children's receptive vocabulary, indicating a direct effect of poverty on children's vocabulary even when maternal academic aptitude and HOME environment assessments were controlled. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/KB